Abba Seraphim called for prayers for the families of the twenty-one new Coptic martyrs in Libya, who were so brutally and publicly slaughtered by the Daesh extremists. “These workers from Egypt were murdered simply because they were Christians. They were innocents captured by cruel men, purporting to act in the name of religion, who showed neither mercy nor justice, and whose acts dishonour the very Creator they profess to serve.” In their deaths they showed impressive dignity, born of their faith, some even calling on the Lord with their last breath. They were the latest in an impressive line of martyrs stretching back to the earliest years of the church and their precious souls were now with a loving Saviour.

On 16 February Abba Seraphim was interviewed on the BBC News Channel about the Egyptian government’s bombing of Daesh positions in Libya. He stated that he found some encouragement in this as it demonstrated the present administrations much more positive line towards Christians. He welcomed the gestures by the President, who last month had attended the Cathedral in Cairo for the Coptic Christmas celebrations and had now returned to offer his condolences to Pope Tawadros. The administration’s actions showed that they treated Christians and Muslims equally as Egyptians. There was none of the divisiveness of the former government and he took heart at this. Christians were free to worship now, unless they were attacked by extremists.